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Sunshine and Spiders
Jul. 17th, 2003 11:01 amOur rain's cleared up, and the threat of rain's cleared up, so we have a return of Heat and Sun. It's good timing, since I finally have a chance to poke around in the garden (although I'm still putting off carrying the stuff down to the dumpster. Ugh) and water it thoroughly.
I did a bunch of rearranging out there the other day so that there are several 'islands' as opposed to two rows of pots. It seems to have brought out all the spiders, mostly the orange kind with brown stripes on them., I went out this morning and the webs were everywhere -- good for me, good for the plants, bad for the flies and aphids. Abbotsford is a farming community and usually there are a ton of flies, but we haven't had many lately. Coincidence? We shall see.
In deference to spectral42's recent post, I've decided to post a list of all my plants at some point on here. It'll probably come later today. I don't think it's that big, but it will be fun.
First, though, some commentary: the yellow patio rose is absolutely gigantic in a bushy, round, containable sort of way, and a bunch of blooms are on the way. I'm really impressed with it. I did the chop on all the mint, so it should start springing back after the water's had a chance to soak in -- it was blooming, or nearly enough.
JFK rose is absolutely flourishing, which kind of surprises me. It didn't look like much until I pulled it away from the railing and turned it around -- I guess all the growth was on the other side. Very pretty rose, very pretty bush.
Brother Cadfael's blooming, just a couple of blooms but I can smell them clear across the balcony. Amazing stuff, that scent. I bet TOW won't be able to smell it -- she can smell hybrid teas where I can't very well.
A whole bunch more roses ended up under the eves this way, instead of along the railing. This might help with the inevitable blackspot trouble I've been having. We'll hope, at least, and be careful with watering.
Cecile Bruenner is still blooming like crazy, and I'm having trouble figuring out how to deadhead these enormous, leafless sprays of pink foamy blossoms. I'm worried that he's exhausting himself with so few leaves and so very much in the way of flower.
The kiwis are going vaguely chlorotic in a sunburnt-looking kind of way. I'm hoping that it's just a trace mineral deficiency and dosed them with some kelp, we'll try something else if that doesn't clear it up. My oranges got this too, I really should do a soil replace but it'll need to wait for next year.
The rosemary's hit the ground and started across the path. It's lovely stuff. Now that it's in traffic I'll see how far it gets. :)
The spruce is still throwing up the odd candle, which is kind of weird. I thought it was supposed to flush once and then sort of sit there. We learn, I guess. Could it be overfertilisation? I don't really fertilise it, though?
Crimson King clematis is pretty much done blooming, I need to deadhead -- Ville de Lyon is still going amazingly strong, and fading all silvery. I want Henryi to bloom, dammit! No buds, though...
Basically, everything's looking okay out there, though I think fall will pick up some lushness. My african violets are cautiously thinking about flowering again, probably because the weather's cooled, so I can't imagine that'll last long now that the cool temps are gone.
For myself, I'm rediscovering just how nice it feels to have a bellyful of good food. It's definitely hard to be hysterical and unhappy when you've had some good food, or maybe that's the sunshine doing it to me? I've reconnected to the SO, which is nice, and though there's a little background tension I'm very comfortable.
I'm also trying to rediscover the joys of phone use, and I'm amused y poly phone use in general. I call someone at TOH, get the other party, talk to them awhile, talk to the person I was calling, and then... it's not unlikely that the SO says, wait, let me talk to one of the people over there before you go. It's kind of silly, actually.
I'm definitely looking forward to the (Mission) folk fest, which is really coming up, and to the Vancouver one as well -- because I get some alone time with the Juggler. This may also be a beach weekend, depending on weather and inclination.
It's interesting to have a big personal issue to solve, clear-cut and in front of my face. There are two things I need to reconcile, and I know what they are, and I know how they're interfering with stuff. I've become so accustomed to little issues that can be fixed easily that I'd forgotten how to deal with this sort of thing. No, frustration and head-to-the-wall isn't the answer. Patience is.
I'm reading a book borrowed from TOW called The Accidental Buddhist. I'm kind of (once more) surprised at how some of my own internal balances, habits, and 'rightnesses' fit in with that system of thought. I'd like to do more reading on the subject, not with an eye towards choosing a popular religion but just because I'm curious.
Take care. I'm gonna go off and keep fed before doing the hauling.
I did a bunch of rearranging out there the other day so that there are several 'islands' as opposed to two rows of pots. It seems to have brought out all the spiders, mostly the orange kind with brown stripes on them., I went out this morning and the webs were everywhere -- good for me, good for the plants, bad for the flies and aphids. Abbotsford is a farming community and usually there are a ton of flies, but we haven't had many lately. Coincidence? We shall see.
In deference to spectral42's recent post, I've decided to post a list of all my plants at some point on here. It'll probably come later today. I don't think it's that big, but it will be fun.
First, though, some commentary: the yellow patio rose is absolutely gigantic in a bushy, round, containable sort of way, and a bunch of blooms are on the way. I'm really impressed with it. I did the chop on all the mint, so it should start springing back after the water's had a chance to soak in -- it was blooming, or nearly enough.
JFK rose is absolutely flourishing, which kind of surprises me. It didn't look like much until I pulled it away from the railing and turned it around -- I guess all the growth was on the other side. Very pretty rose, very pretty bush.
Brother Cadfael's blooming, just a couple of blooms but I can smell them clear across the balcony. Amazing stuff, that scent. I bet TOW won't be able to smell it -- she can smell hybrid teas where I can't very well.
A whole bunch more roses ended up under the eves this way, instead of along the railing. This might help with the inevitable blackspot trouble I've been having. We'll hope, at least, and be careful with watering.
Cecile Bruenner is still blooming like crazy, and I'm having trouble figuring out how to deadhead these enormous, leafless sprays of pink foamy blossoms. I'm worried that he's exhausting himself with so few leaves and so very much in the way of flower.
The kiwis are going vaguely chlorotic in a sunburnt-looking kind of way. I'm hoping that it's just a trace mineral deficiency and dosed them with some kelp, we'll try something else if that doesn't clear it up. My oranges got this too, I really should do a soil replace but it'll need to wait for next year.
The rosemary's hit the ground and started across the path. It's lovely stuff. Now that it's in traffic I'll see how far it gets. :)
The spruce is still throwing up the odd candle, which is kind of weird. I thought it was supposed to flush once and then sort of sit there. We learn, I guess. Could it be overfertilisation? I don't really fertilise it, though?
Crimson King clematis is pretty much done blooming, I need to deadhead -- Ville de Lyon is still going amazingly strong, and fading all silvery. I want Henryi to bloom, dammit! No buds, though...
Basically, everything's looking okay out there, though I think fall will pick up some lushness. My african violets are cautiously thinking about flowering again, probably because the weather's cooled, so I can't imagine that'll last long now that the cool temps are gone.
For myself, I'm rediscovering just how nice it feels to have a bellyful of good food. It's definitely hard to be hysterical and unhappy when you've had some good food, or maybe that's the sunshine doing it to me? I've reconnected to the SO, which is nice, and though there's a little background tension I'm very comfortable.
I'm also trying to rediscover the joys of phone use, and I'm amused y poly phone use in general. I call someone at TOH, get the other party, talk to them awhile, talk to the person I was calling, and then... it's not unlikely that the SO says, wait, let me talk to one of the people over there before you go. It's kind of silly, actually.
I'm definitely looking forward to the (Mission) folk fest, which is really coming up, and to the Vancouver one as well -- because I get some alone time with the Juggler. This may also be a beach weekend, depending on weather and inclination.
It's interesting to have a big personal issue to solve, clear-cut and in front of my face. There are two things I need to reconcile, and I know what they are, and I know how they're interfering with stuff. I've become so accustomed to little issues that can be fixed easily that I'd forgotten how to deal with this sort of thing. No, frustration and head-to-the-wall isn't the answer. Patience is.
I'm reading a book borrowed from TOW called The Accidental Buddhist. I'm kind of (once more) surprised at how some of my own internal balances, habits, and 'rightnesses' fit in with that system of thought. I'd like to do more reading on the subject, not with an eye towards choosing a popular religion but just because I'm curious.
Take care. I'm gonna go off and keep fed before doing the hauling.
